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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23539621">Savior of N(o)ne</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowborder/pseuds/shadowborder'>shadowborder</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>After You, My Master [14]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fate/Grand Order, Kara no Kyoukai | The Garden of Sinners</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Family Issues, Female Friendship, Gen, No Lostbelts, Post-Canon, Set After Future Gospel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 15:15:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,747</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23539621</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowborder/pseuds/shadowborder</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ritsuka Fujimaru comes back to Japan, a changed person, after restoring humanity.<br/>However, not all things work out and she needs to find her place in the world again...</p><p>Shiki Ryougi happens to be content with her life. She's married and has a daughter.<br/>But, then she finds a straggler who's lost just like as she was before. So, she picks her up.</p><p>Touko Aozaki as always had been an observer, but as she returns back to her old stomping grounds...<br/>She finds a very peculiar subject, that she thinks will turn out very interesting.</p><p>[post-solomon singularity / no eor or lostbelts]</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Fujimaru Ritsuka &amp; Aozaki Touko, Fujimaru Ritsuka &amp; Ryougi Shiki</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>After You, My Master [14]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1480136</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. missing you, whos now long gone</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Basically I was inspired by an art I saw of Ritsuka meeting older!Shiki and wanted to expand on that, and it became this.</p><p>This is really such a self-indulgent fic, lmao.</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Nothing is ever quite the same after that day, after he's gone. All the Servants are gone and now Ritsuka sets home.</p><p>The only thing holding her back is herself.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Here Ritsuka was standing in her room, as she looked upon the bed in front of her. She imagines a man with fluffy orange hair turning to look at her in surprise while eating cake. As he exclaims, that this is an open room, his slack-off space. She remembers the confusion she felt that moment, but only for that image of him to be gone. She was alone, and that man was not here, he was gone. Gone. She breathes in and out, turns around.</p><p>She was not going to linger around much longer. She had to get going, leaving the barren room behind her. After going through many months, this room seemed so clean, too clean for one to seem to have lived here. But the resident of this room was leaving for good. After all, the duty of saving the world finished. Yet, the man she envisions isn't here anymore, in this world. He is gone from this world, the day he took off his gloves and put on that ring.</p><p>She remembers that day, like a pain in her heart, but she doesn’t have the time to reminisce. She’s already taking far too long in this room, and she heads out the room. It was time to say goodbye. Slinging her backpack onto her shoulders. She walks down the hallway, heading towards her destination. The command room. She took long strides, taking in every sight before her.</p><p>It was so quiet, so empty, and almost… deserted. It felt haunted and she doesn’t like haunted, nor such spooky things. So, she continues walking. As she finally reaches the Command Room, she spots Mash and Da Vinci together. Entering the room, the two of them looked up, and she gave a wave. The Command Room was to say… sparse, and it hurt looking at the area that she had spent most of her time. But she knew that it was time to finally say goodbye.</p><p>“You took your time.” Da Vinci remarks to her, and she smiles, deciding not to reply. Mash looks at her with a look that was… searching for something on her face. But, Mash smiled, a lonely kind of smile. "Are you ready, Senpai?"</p><p>Ritsuka took a look at the command room again, taking in everything around her. It was so barren, besides the luggage on the ground. No single soul around, besides the three of them. No other Servant… besides Da Vinci. The Chaldea staff was elsewhere, taking the same preparations she did. She wasn’t quite so sure, so, she stared at the luggage, being unable to form words to say. It was a hard time for her to process that she was leaving this place, for real. It didn’t feel real, but it was hard for her to grasp at the idea she was leaving.</p><p>Da Vinci cleared her throat, "We haven't got all day, Ritsuka-chan. Come here, let me see your face, instead of you looking down on the ground." She nodded, her shoulders low, as she pulled onto her backpack even more. Walking towards them, she tried to keep her composure, but it was worthless. She already felt the tears come out like a dam, pouring down her cheeks. Da Vinci couldn’t help but blink at the sight, while Mash began to flutter a little, holding onto the girl’s back. </p><p>“It’s okay, Senpai, it’ll be okay...” Mash murmurs, rubbing circles into the girl’s back, although she looks near tears herself.</p><p>The redhead girl couldn’t help but sob, into her hands. “I never thought I’d say this, but I don’t want to go. I don’t want to leave you two behind.” Trying to rub her eyes, “It’s… going to be so painful, leaving you two. And Mash, can’t you at least come with me, somehow? Please?” Her voice pleading, even though she knew the answer already. Even so, it was at least a desperate attempt of sorts.</p><p>Mash looked brokenhearted upon hearing her plea, only to shake her head. “I… can’t. There are still things that are still left unfinished. I still have to undergo treatments… I’m sorry I can’t go with you now.”</p><p>From there, she could only cry harder, grabbing onto both Da Vinci and Mash. In a flash, she was holding the two of them in a hug. In the quietness between the three of them, she was trying to savor this last time. This is the last time she'll see either of them again.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. back home, so foreign to me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Nothing is the same, after a year missing.</p>
<p>Everything that seems so familiar, doesn't feel the same to her.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It’s been… how long since she’s been in Japan? Ritsuka doesn’t remember but remembers that the world lost one year. One year of existence and jumped back into existence. Here she was at the airport, one of the people coming back home, returning from a place no soul even knows about. No one's here to pick her up, and that's fine. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>No need to know about her coming home in the first place. Not yet.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She breathes in and out, taking in the sights of what she thought she had missed. It all feels like a dream as she looks out the large airport window, and yet, it’s very much real. It looks the same old scenery, yet this didn’t feel like home to her. Anywhere else, besides behind those walls back in the tundra didn’t feel like home to her anymore.   </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Not that it mattered, as she has to soon readjust back to this life, this very normal life of hers. Something, she'll try to get used to again. She drags herself along towards the outside of the airport. No use to moping around, and feeling sad, even if the sadness in heart echoes in her mind.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The next thing Ritsuka had to do next was to face the reality of now. Of her current situation, instead of looking back to the past where she couldn't run back. Even if she was in turmoil. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As she left the airport with all her things, Ritsuka looked around to the ongoing traffic. Somehow feeling somewhat alien to her. Everything around her felt foreign to her, even this was something she was before used to. Now it wasn’t the same. As she raised her hand to flag a taxi down, Ritsuka wondered, and wondered… how was she going to deal with her family?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They would have… questions, right? Or, would they not care like usual, letting her do whatever she wanted or liked. If anything, she preferred if they showed an ounce of care. Although somewhere in her heart. She knew, even if she did save the world for humanity’s sake, it wouldn't be worth anything in her parent’s eyes. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Then, what about her sister? What would she say to her? But all thoughts of her family escaped her mind. As a taxi drove up to her, with her things put away. She sat inside, on her way home, to someplace if anything stranger than the present. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ritsuka had lots of time to think as the taxi ride was a long one, as she looked out the window. As the taxi finally reached her home, she couldn’t help but stare at the house, where she used to live. Had she lived here? Somehow it didn’t feel like she did, but… the nameplate showed that she did, in spite of her own confusion. It was so long or was her mind messing with her?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She shook her head, trying to placate with her thoughts that swirled over and over. With her things in hand, she walked towards the door key in hand. She had to face what was next, whether she liked it or not. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. saving something that no one cares about</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Who's a savior? </p><p>Certainly not her, certainly not her.</p><p>Because what's a world that's been saved, that doesn't remember?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was completely… disconcerting. The moment she opened the door with the keys in hand and entered inside a conversation stopped. It was between her parents and older sister. As she walked in with all her things, backpack and luggage and all, they looked at her as she was a stranger in her own home. In fact, she supposed she was. They stared at her confused, shocked as if she were some kind of ghost. Someone who is supposed to be dead.</p><p>Or that’s what her thoughts say, as she pushes them away.</p><p>She doesn’t dare speak, because she can’t seem to find the words that seem wholly appropriate right now.  Neither did her family, but her mother breaks the silence.</p><p>“Welcome back. How was your trip?”</p><p>Ritsuka stares at her, opens her mouth to only close it. A trip? Did she call it a trip? She’s somehow astounded because it wasn’t a trip. It was more than that, but the words couldn’t come out. She could only nod in response, grabbing tighter onto her backpack’s strap. “It… was good.”</p><p>A lie, but her mother doesn’t seem to notice, or if she did, she didn’t care.</p><p>Without a word, she left the hallway entrance and walked towards her room. And as if she broke a spell of some kind, her family continued to pick up on their conversation. Something like that was something she had gotten used to growing up, but now? It hurt, putting her aside as if she had no meaning to them. But for something that had gone for so long, how was she going to change it?</p><p>As she went to her room and turned on the lights, it felt… odd seeing it. This didn’t feel like her room. Again, the feeling was so foreign to her, as she inspected the walls, the bed, the desk, the closet. Nothing felt familiar to her, nothing had ever since she came back.</p><p>She supposes nothing will ever feel the same ever again. </p><p>As she sat herself down on her bed, the door opened, making her jump, becoming completely startled. Her eyes widened, but it was only her older sister who looked at her in surprise.</p><p>“Whoa, what made you all jumpy, huh?”</p><p>In an instant, she glares at her, snapping back irritated. “You did since you didn’t bother to knock as a common decent person should.”</p><p>A stunned look came onto her sister’s face but if anything, Ritsuka didn’t seem to care. She got up from her bed and started unpacking her things, all the while her sister stood. It was complete silence for a while. The only noise being the rustling of Ritsuka unpacking her things. Then, her sister who stood still for a few moments sat down on the bed, staring at her back for a few moments.</p><p>“I get that we haven’t spoken in a while, or we aren't on good terms… but you’re… acting strange.”</p><p>The redhead grits her teeth in annoyance and then sighs. “A lot of things happened, nee-san. The whole world missed one year, even.”</p><p>“Huh? Don’t tell me you believe in that stuff.”</p><p>Ritsuka blinked as she looked back at her sister. What did she say? The sentence repeated in her mind, as she stared at her sister. She… doesn’t believe in it? She doesn’t think it’s something true? Her throat constricted. Making it hard for her to breathe, as she thought about all the things, she had gone through for this world to come back.</p><p>And her sister, her sister of all people or, even her parents doesn’t believe the whole one year being missing.  What exactly was all that effort for, only for the whole idea to get dismissed?</p><p>She turned back to her things, deciding to ignore her, but her sister wasn’t letting her off quite easy. “Hey, Ritsuka what’s wrong? You turned pale for a moment…”</p><p>She sighs. “I’m fine, I’d like to be alone for a moment, nee-san.”</p><p>“<em>You don’t look fine to me-</em>”</p><p>“<em>Could you go leave my room already?!</em>” Ritsuka yells getting up and grabbing onto her sister’s arm pulling her up. She doesn’t look at the expression of her sister’s face, because at this point, she doesn’t care anymore. Her sister’s arm in her hand, she pulls her out from her room. She ushers her out from the doorway, then, shutting the door on her. Locking it tight from the inside, as well.</p><p>She ignores her sister’s loud protests which soon became quiet, as it appears, she gave up. With that and she was all alone with her thoughts.</p><p>Despite all what Ritsuka did, in the end, what did she actually do, if no one truly knows what actually happened?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. going away to find myself</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A wanderer finds another wanderer.</p><p>A puppet maker and a former Master.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After that incident with her sister, Ritsuka had become more closed off from her family. Seeing no way to repair the already broken relationship. Ritsuka decided on her own accord to leave the house. She had enough of living with people she could not bear living any longer with. So, she decided to go live on her own, in a city farther than where her home was.</p><p>Mifune City. She came across the city by accident, after doing some looking around online. After doing some more research, she decided this was the place she’ll move to. There was a cheap apartment rental in the middle of the city. While she didn’t know the city well, Ritsuka thought she could find out a little later.</p><p>She packed up her things and sent them via a moving truck. She decided to go there by herself via train. A few trains later, Ritsuka stood in front of the train station, arms stretched out. It was already dark, but there was a taxi at the taxi stand. As she approached it, she noticed a woman lounging outside the taxi, having a smoke.</p><p>The woman looked to be in her twenties. Or a little older than her? Ritsuka couldn’t place her age, but taking a look at her, she was attractive. She had dark red hair, and oval glasses shaped her face in a certain way, which made her seem gentle. She didn’t realize she had been staring at the woman for a while, only to get flustered about it as she turned away. Ritsuka hoped she didn't notice.</p><p>(<em>She did.</em>)</p><p>Taking a look at the taxi, it seemed to be vacant, which seems that… she could take this taxi right? Rolling her luggage and grabbing ahold of her backpack strap. Ritsuka walked towards them. The sound of her rolling suitcase made the woman look at her, and she gave a wave, as she discarded her cigarette stub.</p><p>“Hey there, do you need a ride on this fine evening?” She sports an easygoing grin that seems to calm Ritsuka down, somehow or another.</p><p>“Uh, yes.” Ritsuka holds out her phone and shows the woman the area and address. She leaned down to look at it, and Ritsuka could smell her breath, which… smelled weird. Was it because of the cigarette she was smoking earlier? She tries to not think about it, and as she looks at the woman, her eyes seem to widen upon seeing the area. But it lasts for a second, as her expression turns back to normal.</p><p>The woman then stretches her arms and smiles. “Alright, let’s get your stuff into the trunk and let’s get going, will we?”</p><p>With that, Ritsuka was inside the taxi sitting next to the woman. Who introduced herself as Touko Aozaki. Touko happens to be driving taxis as more of a spur of a moment thing, or as she says with a laugh. Ritsuka liked her, as she felt like a larger than life person. With many depths to her and she reminded her of Da Vinci in a certain way.</p><p>As it was a long ride, the two of them engaged in small conversations. Although started by Touko herself. Ritsuka wasn’t much of a talker, but she answered as much as she could.</p><p>“So, what brings you to Mifune City, Fujimaru?” Touko asks as she stops at one of the streetlights, taking a look at her passenger. “I mean, it’s a pretty nice city all in all, but there’s not much about it that’s distinct.” <em>Besides the paranormal, supernatural happenings,</em> Touko muses to herself.</p><p>The girl pauses in her thoughts as if trying to bring out what she could say about why she was doing this. Moving to a city she didn’t even know anything about it. Then she shrugs looking embarrassed. “Well, I don’t have a good reason, besides wanting to not be at home. I thought I could find something in Mifune City.”</p><p>Touko looked at her and then hummed. “That sounds like a good reason as any. Well, I hope you find whatever you’re looking for here, Fujimaru.” The streetlight turns green, and she turns the steering wheel.</p><p>The two of them sit in silence until Touko finally reaches the apartment. From what Ritsuka remembers, her place roomed on the second floor. It seems that her boxes arrived before she did.</p><p>As she takes out her things, Ritsuka bows down to Touko and smiles. "Thank you, Aozaki-san."</p><p>"Don't worry about it." The woman pauses and then takes out a crumpled business card. "I don't suppose you'll ever need this but take this. See you around, Fujimaru."</p><p>With that, Touko left like the wind itself.</p><p>Ritsuka stuffed the card into her jacket pocket and went up the stairs. As she reached her new home, she took a breath in and out, placing her backpack and luggage down.</p><p>Taking out the business card she received from Touko, she smoothed it out and read the contents of it. On it, it said, "Aozaki Touko, Certified Puppet maker." The phone number and email printed on the side…</p><p>Ritsuka blinked. '<em>Puppet maker? Well, she did say she was being a taxi driver as a side thing…</em>' She couldn't help but wonder who Touko was. But she decided to leave it alone.</p><p>She was now in Mifune City, and now what did this city have in store for her?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. finding a lost soul in the backalley</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Two lost souls connect to one another.</p><p>Ritsuka gets lost and gets picked up by a woman clad in a pink kimono.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In several months, Ritsuka had settled in Mifune City. She became one of their everyday citizens that walked the streets. She took classes at the nearby college and was working as a cashier at a local convenience store. A picture of a normal citizen, as any citizen of the city, was.</p><p>Or she tries to be, as she often lapses into thinking about her home away from home. Chaldea. She often wonders how Mash is holding up, hoping she’s fine. She misses Da Vinci and thinks about the many Servants she met during her journey. Despite trying to act normal, it was quite difficult.</p><p>These thoughts often can get her in places where she shouldn’t be. When she’s often lost in thought. Such as this shady back alley, that she somehow wandered in without thinking. It didn't help that she was very, very, lost. She had no clue where she was, and it was in the dead of the night too.</p><p>A large sigh as she looked back and forth, unsure where to go, and now she was becoming a bit nervous. Scared too. All the shadows that came near her, made her guard herself for whatever was coming. As she tried to guard herself against whatever was coming, someone's footsteps came by. Clacking against the ground, these footsteps were brisk, and it wasn't great for her nerves.</p><p>As she gulped and prepared for whatever was coming, she received a better surprise.</p><p>"You aren’t supposed to be here."</p><p>The voice came from an older woman wearing a pink kimono, with a red shawl wrapped over her shoulder. Her hair was long above her back, and her head cocking to the side. Her expression remained unreadable to Ritsuka, but... she was smiling?</p><p>Struggling to find the words to respond, Ritsuka looked upon the woman again, and her head started to hurt. Why did she seem so familiar? As she managed to force words to come out, “Somehow I’m always in places I’m not supposed to be in.”</p><p>“Is that so… hm.” She looked upon Ritsuka again. “Come with me, I’ll take you to my place for the meantime.”</p><p>“Huh? I-I’m fine! I can find my way home.”</p><p>The woman chuckled. “While as much I would love to believe you, I wouldn’t dare try to let someone like you get around in the middle of the night. I’d be afraid of what will happen to you if I did.”</p><p>Ritsuka couldn’t give an answer, becoming quiet and then walked towards them. Taking that as an answer, the woman started walking again leading the way towards her home. They walked in silence, with the two of them walking side by side in the setting night.</p><p>It wasn’t until halfway down the road, the woman introduces herself as Shiki Ryougi. Ritsuka looked confused as she repeats it in her head. She introduces herself, and then ponders as she continues to walk along with Shiki.</p><p>"... Have I met you somewhere before, Ryougi-san?"</p><p>Shiki looked at her perplexed for a moment then she hummed. “No. I’m pretty sure we haven’t met before. Also, call me Shiki, alright?”</p><p>Ritsuka blinked and then nodded. Yet for some reason, she couldn’t help but feel she did meet this person somewhere… She didn’t remember where. She let herself mull over it a bit, until then. It wasn't until a short while the two of them had finally reached Shiki's home. Which if anything shocked Ritsuka from the sheer size and how elegant it seemed.</p><p>The girl couldn't help but wonder if Shiki was someone very important, or a person in the higher echelons. She decided not to think much about it, as she should mind her own business. As the two of them entered inside, a man was standing near the entrance. He gave a bow to Shiki and looked at Ritsuka with a quiet gaze.</p><p>"Welcome home. Are you done with your walks for tonight?"</p><p>Shiki nodded, slipping off her sandals and then pointed at Ritsuka. "She's to be our guest at our house for the moment." She paused. "Where's Mana and Mikiya?"</p><p>"The young mistress is in bed right now, while Mikiya-dono is still at the office."</p><p>“Is that so?” She looked back at Ritsuka, “Well, come along then. We’ll have some tea in the main room.”</p><p>“Um, right!”</p><p>Shiki walked with a brisk pace, as if having no patience for slowness or slow people. It wasn't that hard to catch up with her, although Ritsuka had taken the time to look around her. Her mind went into overdrive full of curiosity about the house she was in. But before she could make any conclusions about her surroundings, Shiki came to a stop. The two of them reached what seems to be... the living room? She couldn't tell, but it was quite spacious for sure.</p><p>"Alright, make yourself comfortable. I'll be right back." It sounded like a command, and Ritsuka took to sitting at one of the chairs. The room was so empty, besides her. It made her uncomfortable, as Shiki left the room to get some tea. It didn't last long as the woman came back with a tea set in her hands, who peered at her with a discerning gaze.</p><p>"Why in the world are you fidgeting like a trapped rabbit?"</p><p>Ritsuka looked flabbergasted, not being able to summon the words to say anything back. She became a bit flustered as she mutters, “I got a bit uncomfortable sitting alone here. It felt weird that’s all. Empty and all that.”</p><p>Shiki stared at her and then laughed as she set down the tea set onto the table. It didn’t help Ritsuka very much, as her face turned redder because of it.</p><p>“You’re honest to a fault person aren’t you, Ritsuka?” Shiki sat down in front of her, and then began to pour tea in the teacups. She handed one of them to her and took one of the cups for herself.</p><p>“I wouldn’t say that...” She mutters, “I happen to say what I think out loud without meaning too.”</p><p>“The more reason for me to be more worried if I left you alone.”</p><p>“A-are you comparing me to a child?” Ritsuka didn’t seem to be mad, but her mouth has formed into a pout. Adding more fuel to the fire, not that it helped anything. She sipped her tea as she looked at Shiki in some annoyance while still pouting.</p><p>“Geh, stop looking at me like that.” The woman laughed, as she stirred her tea. “Your puppy dog eyes isn’t going to change my mind, Ritsuka.”</p><p>“Hmph!”</p><p>The two of them began chatting as if to pass the time. Ritsuka grew comfortable around Shiki. The two of them got along very well despite of contrasting personalities.</p><p>In the middle of their third cup of tea, Shiki throws Ritsuka off guard once again. “So, what do you do, Ritsuka?”</p><p>“H-huh? What do you mean?”</p><p>“Well, I was asking what you do.” Shiki points at her and sips her tea. “Got an occupation of any sort? Or are you a student of some kind?”</p><p>“O-oh! Oh. Uh, I work as a cashier at a convenience store.” She scratched the back of her head while shrugging. “I also go to the nearby college too…”</p><p>A silence came over the room, as Shiki stared at Ritsuka in some sort of disbelief. This made the girl feel kind of embarrassed as she squirmed in her seat, as she sipped her tea. She wondered what exactly brought this on, but she couldn’t find the words to ask.</p><p>“You can’t be serious.” Shiki placed her teacup down and folded her arms together. “You seem to be the type who’d work better elsewhere than as a mere cashier for a convenience store. I mean,  you have the skills, but you aren’t looking into the right places.”</p><p>“Uh, I’m glad you have so much faith in me…”</p><p>“I’m being honest. You could work elsewhere with your skills to the best of your ability.”</p><p>Ritsuka was stunned that someone that she met would think that about her. In fact, she was blushing and sipped her tea trying to hide her obvious embarrassment. She's reminded of how Mash often thought she was the greatest. Even she did completely normal things.</p><p>“Do you… think that?” She scratched her cheek. “Even if that’s the case… why would you go so far to take this much interest in me? We just met, Shiki-san.”</p><p>Shiki paused in her thoughts as she looked at Ritsuka in contemplation. “I don’t know. But the need to be there for you, as it seems that you are not doing the best right now, so, leave everything to me.”</p><p>“… do your think I can find somewhere place that fits me?” The girl asks in a low voice unsure. The main reason she was stuck as a cashier because her lack of experience and there was nothing to her name.</p><p>“Trust me. I in fact may know the best place that has open positions even.” Shiki smiled, as she sipped her tea. As she put down her cup, she looked up at the clock that sat in the corner. “Oh my, it’s already late!” She got up from her seat walked to another room, leaving Ritsuka behind blinking.</p><p>Had the two of them speaking for that long? She hadn’t realized that, having been so caught up in talking with Shiki. The girl couldn’t shake off the feeling have knowing the woman from somewhere. But she could think about that later. Shiki came back into the room with the ever-meticulous butler.</p><p>“Akitaka will take you home by car.” She pauses. “Where do you live by the way?”</p><p>Ritsuka told them her address.</p><p>In return she received an incredulous look from the older woman, who then leaned back with a laugh. </p><p>“W-what’s so funny all sudden?”</p><p>Shiki didn’t reply only giving her a smile, that chilled her to her bones. Taking Ritsuka’s hand into hers, she placed a folded piece of paper into her hand. “See you around, Ritsuka.”</p><p>With that, she's whisked away by Akitaka into a slim black car, the type that she’d see in movies. As she sat inside, Ritsuka unfolded the paper that Shiki had given her. On it was a number and Shiki’s name, with a little note.</p><p>“Let’s meet up again and have tea again together, will we?”</p><p>Ritsuka couldn’t help but smile at the thought. As she looked out the window, with the car drove through the streets of Mifune City.</p><p>“Yeah, let’s do it.” She whispers to herself.</p><p>Even if the future she knew as of now was unknown, Ritsuka felt right now, that’ll she be fine. No matter what happens.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Be sure to leave kudos and comments! I'd really appreciate it!</p><p>yell at me on twitter @flowerystars</p></blockquote></div></div>
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